Employee Relations and Collective Bargaining

This assignment delves into the crucial field of employee relations, examining key concepts like leadership style, employee empowerment, and organizational reputation. It also highlights the significance of corporate social responsibility and human resource practices in fostering positive employee-employer relationships. A central focus is placed on collective bargaining, its influence on organizational commitment, and the role it plays in shaping a harmonious work environment.

Employee Relation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Unitary and pluralistic frames of reference...........................................................................1
1.2 Explain how trade unionism affected employee relations....................................................2
1.3 Duties of major bodies in employee relations.......................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Procedures that organisation should follow while dealing with conflicts.............................4
2.2 Features of employee relations in conflict situation.............................................................5
2.3 Effectiveness of procedures used in conflict.........................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
3.1 Duty of negotiation in collective Bargaining........................................................................7
3.2 Evaluate effect of negotiation strategy..................................................................................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................9
4.1 Impact of EU on industrial democracy in UK......................................................................9
4.2 Methods to gain employee participation in decision making procedure.............................10
4.3 Influence of human resource management on employee relations.....................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFRENCES.................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Each organisation require to manage relation between employee and employer which
assist in accomplishing productivity of products and profitability of organisation operation.
Regulatory body should script some procedures and policies that help organisation in meeting
objectives and goals (Morris, 2012). Good employee relation not only improve production and
manufacture quality but also develop company goodwills well as their performance in industry.
Thus, company should provide them opportunity to participate in decision making process as
well as balance their relation with company through coordinating and organising various
activities including team work so they can build positive and comfortable environment for their
worker and boost their confidence. M & S is most largest retailing company in UK which is
expanded in worldwide. Company basically sell cloths, grocery products and organics food
products etc. This project analyse unitary and pluralist frames and role of bargaining collective
process. Also it investigate EU democracy in UK.
TASK 1
1.1 Unitary and pluralistic frames of reference
Unitary frame refer to individual's perception, thinking way that determines management
and company related assumption, values, behaviour and attributes. This reference states that an
organisation's employee require to have same aims, vision and objectives to meet success
weather they have different duties they play in company. This perspective can get this aspect by
implicating different strategies and scale achievement by measuring practical success of
organisation goals. Employee should be dedicated to organisation and leaders. Loyalty and
management should be major focus of organisation.
Pluralistic frame is detected as being made of different Sub strata and every strata has
fixed goals and mission which is set by their leaders in order to attain goals. This is based on two
groups which are trade unions and managements (Welch, 2011). Management whereas take
responsibility of all function and administration of company, trade unions protects employee
rights ad explains their values in organisational success and achievement. Trade unions focus on
employee rights witch is essential in organisation and providing them all rights that they deserve
such as minimum wage, medical and job security etc. They concentrate over building better
working environment for worker and protect them from being exploited. M & S understand and
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execute this pluralism factor which assist organization to develop skills and abilities of workers
in order to attain objectives in fixed time span (Newsom, Turk and Kruckeberg, 2012). Trade
unions keep all rights and conflicts of employee in front of top management system and seek
better solution with agreement.
1.2 Explain how trade unionism affected employee relations
Change affect directly on employee relation in an organisation either its is small business
or large organization. Trade unions refer to communities that work for workers to create and
promote employee requirement and present their basic needs. In 19th century, New Moderate
model used to monitor these but from 1824, they formed as independent bodies, provide
minimum wage and basic holiday facilities etc. Moreover, several groups knowns in previous era
such as young worker unions, trade union congress communities. In trade unionism system,
changes in unionism of M & S is below:
Technical -
In advanced era of technology, machines are more modifies and advanced with digital
facilities that is more easy and convincing and require less human resource to function.
Organisation are adopting these technologies which are providing quick services in less
expenditure that is decreasing need of human resources. This is increasing unemployment. Trade
unionism therefore, protecting their rights and fight for their rights and compel company to give
them job security. Thus, employee relation are being affected with changes of trade unionism
which is catered after technological changes in industry.
Political and Legislative -
ALDI 's function and management are being affected with change of political and
legislation factors in a nation where, new rights and laws have been made for employee (Ng and
Feldman, 2012). Trade unionism is changing according new market and business strategies and
amending and modifying those laws and rights of employee which is helping employee relation
of organisation directly and indirectly as well as protecting worker from being exploited. This
also avoid conflicts form organisation workforce and help in providing them a better working
environment. In any discrimination of rights cases, trade unionism of UK look over the case and
come up with new changes. Thus, employee relation is being affected with every minor change
of trade unions.
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1.3 Duties of major bodies in employee relations
Company need individual bodies in order to function various structures of organisation
systematically and manage all departments and their works. Role of all theses players are major
in entire entity and operations of company who combine work to run company and achieve
success. Mark & Spencer have all theses important aspects in order TO smooth functioning and
better marketing and management of organisation. Here are some duties of these players in
employee relation of M & S:
Source 1: Main Players of ER, 2017
1. Government -
Govt. of UK structure and design laws and rights in order to protect fundamental rights of
an employee and provide a better place to work in society (Pelit, Öztürk and Arslantürk, 2011).
These are minimum wage right, health and safety act, child labour act and many others. These
legislation rules indirectly help organisation in maintaining relationship with employee. Govt.
Make sure company polices undertake these rights under their terms.
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2. Manager -
Manager is responsible for functioning and operation management of organisation ass
well as allocation of work within workforce (Wilkinson, 2014). Manager satisfies employee
demands and expectation and distribute them task according their skills and provide them
facility to develop their skills. M & S manager take all worker targetting them accomplishing
organisation mission which create a better understanding in workplace.
3. Worker -
Worker play major part in accomplishing task and achieving success of organization. M
& S satisfies their worker requirement and provide them an opportunity to grow and develop
their skills. Their, employee, therefore, more dedicated and loyal to their work and don't worry
about wage. Worker satisfaction and better and positive work environment can create and build
healthy ad friendly relationship of employee with organisation which can be strength of
company.
TASK 2
2.1 Procedures that organisation should follow while dealing with conflicts
M & S is largest retailing company of UK with more than 11,000 employee recruited in
organisation for their work. More human resource create more conflicts which can retrain growth
of organisation (Peloza and Shang, 2011). Therefore, Mark and Spencer utilize theses effective
process to resolve their dispute emerged in their workforce which is:
Build Understanding -
Disputes in work environment not only reduce production and manufacture process but
also worsen relation between employee and employer. Company, therefore, need to create
understanding among their workplace through communicating effectively and conveying
company message which can prevent conflicts in future.
Be Patience –
Investigation of disputes is required in order to understand major cause of problem in
order to reduce and avoid it in future. Also some times quick and ineffective solution can make
situation more complex and incurable that can turn into strike and lockout situation. Thus,
manager require to patiently examine and interpreter depth of conflicts and seek better solution.
Form Guidelines -
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Company can form some guidelines to control and monitor this situation and convey
them to employee to avoid any conflicts from workforce. They should determine terms on which
those will end (Saridakis, Muñoz and Johnstone, 2013). This can prevent issues in working area
as it will help in explaining employee company policies.
Act Resolutely -
An organisation duty is to solve disputes in organisation and examine entire situation
through collecting information and data through responses of member of staff. Authority should
act decisively in order to avoid situation of strike, lock out or crisis. Delay in solution can
increase problem affecting quality of production.
Effective Communication -
Woking environment should be friendly, comfy, positive and flexible in order to better
functioning and establish better communication within organisation. Effective communication
technique can help in dealing with disputes through consultation and suggestion. Major reason of
these conflicts is difference in perception, interests and objectives. Communication help in
establishing same work area and setting same objective that is quick way to meet accomplishing.
2.2 Features of employee relations in conflict situation
Employee relation is significant in organisation for achieving success and consumer
satisfaction. M & S adopt some features of employee relations that help company to come over
form specific disputes situation which are:
Ideological Framework -
Disputes can arise in large organisation among lots of heads that work. All employee and
employer work to accomplish competitive goal and objectives and meet target customer and
satisfy their needs. In case of difference in interest and perception for respected work, conflicts
emerge in company that restrain growth of organisation as well as many function of
managements (Van De Voorde, Paauwe and Van 2012). Every worker work get desired salary,
develop their skills and knowledge and in case of issues in attaining these goals, disputes take
place in their workplace.
Cooperation -
Organisation can maintain and design pattern to each employee should follow in order to
get maximum profitability and productivity out of all operations and strategies. Employer has to
cooperate these patterns. Through Effective communication, employer can establish better
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relations and reduce situation of misinterpretation of conveyed message as well as it help in
determining mutual objectives and mission to whole employer and employee that can be
accomplished through different role.
Negotiation -
Organisation can utilize negotiation process through organising meetings and seminars in
order to explaining and communicating company policies process to employee with better
understanding. Through they can motivate workers that will indirectly increase productivity and
profitability of entity. Negotiation process is necessary in organisation that is emerge in UK
business and market to maintain employee relation in company and protect their rights.
2.3 Effectiveness of procedures used in conflict
Diversity in large organisation is general where employee come from different religion,
culture, gender and regions. Diversity of perceptions, interests, requirements of those people can
be reason of conflicts in such company. Understanding behaviour of person is not easy and can
sometime create miscommunication. Company's productivity is depend upon various factors
such as objectives, aims, vision, expectation, competitions, and capacity etc. Disputes directly
affect productivity within workplace. This also influence work performance of worker and
customer services quality. Thus, company require to seek solution of all those conflicts as soon
as possible (Men and Stacks, 2013). M & S conflicts follow effective techniques of solving
disputes which are below:
 Through providing proper wage and salary and help in understanding their expectation
which motivates employee toward their work.
 Proper determination of wages and equal allocation of opportunities to grow and develop
to all workers that avoid disputes and conflicts within employee and increase loyalty for
company.
 This help in form and improve friendly and positive environment that boost worker's
performance and skills and provide more productive and efficient services.
 M & S adopt this consultation process which is better and effective concept to understand
and avoid disputes and grievance. Employee get chance to share and exchange their
opinions and ideas with company that help in relies stress form their minds and make
them work with fresh mood.
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 Cooperation assist in coordinating and compromising with company policies and rules
that can reduce some trash issues which unnecessarily emerge. This also help employee
through cooperating employer their expectation and terms in regard their task.
TASK 3
3.1 Duty of negotiation in collective Bargaining
Source 2: Collective Bargaining, 2017
Collective bargaining consist of agreements and terms of employee ad their rights on
which organisation and representative of trade unions agrees (Klarsfeld, 2014). Trade unions
utilize this process to help in determining employee rights and policies including leaves,
holidays, incentive package, and minimum wages in order to give relief to workers from burden
of work and protect their rights of getting minimum wage. In present scenario, trade unions are
not active and company started managing HRM to maintain and control personnel of
organisation.
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Trade unions concentrate on employee laws and rights and maintain their relationship
with employer through representing their requirements and needs and satisfying their
expectations. Mark & Spencer used pluralistic framework to manage employee relation in
workplace and hire skilled worker to vacant need. Company understand importance of employee
and consider the fact that they are main access to get high quality productivity.
Role of Bargaining and Negotiation Process -
 Enhance performance quality of employee through working for betterment of
needs and requirements.
 Help in resolving disputes and conflicts form workplace.
 Protect employee rights and laws and amend them according market change and
trends.
 Communicate behalf of employee and their problem and represent their terms in
front of organization leader.
3.2 Evaluate effect of negotiation strategy
Negotiation process begin with the moment selection and recruitment process of
company start. Organisation recruit worker on minimum wages they can provide but more than
previous one (Guest, 2011). HR of Mark & Spencer maintain al issues related personnel and
organise events to get better outcome out of all activities as well as stimulate and motivate them.
Here is sun of negotiation process:
Manage Secrecy -
This process assist organisation in maintaining confidentiality of policies and system as
well as entity framework. HR provide award, promotion and incentive to their employees for
better performance which strengthen their relationship.
Reduce disputes with Trade Union -
HRM of organisation help in reducing conflicts with trade unions by managing and
providing fundamental rights of employees as well as maintain better working environment.
Therefore, there remain no need of trade unions involvement in solving conflicts.
Develop Skills -
Negotiation and bargaining process help in satisfying needs and requirements of
employee and reduce discrimination form workforce. To maintain these relationship
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organisation, HR organise development ad training process that help worker in improving skills
of workers.
Collective Agreements -
HR finalise and determines some agreements over which both employee and company
agree that reduce conflicts situation.
Community Relationship -
Company contribute in social affairs and resolving issues of society. Organisation
perform CSR activities and help in developing communities and local areas that manage
relationship.
TASK 4
4.1 Impact of EU on industrial democracy in UK
Industrial democracy refer to freedom of market and equal right to all employee and
employer in company to grow and develop. European unions have catered revolutionary changes
in UK industry. British market was dominating employee but EU started the concept of
participation of employee in UK companies. New legislation process provide employee rights
and laws that company have follow which give them relief in their hectic work.
Decision making process -
EU motivated and enforced companies to manage employee relation within organisation
and enhanced their participation in decision making process. EU still control market of UK and
protect rights of companies and workers. EU helped in improving role of employee relation
within organisation. They worked and organise many activities to explained the role of employee
perception and opinion in decision making process and also this strengthen employee relation of
a company.
EU has established various laws and legislation procedures, these are follows:
 Minimum working hours.
 Leave on specific period such as maternity leave, parental leave, ill leave and holiday
over serious accidents (Chang, Takeuchi and Cai, 2014). Equal opportunities to grow and develop and positive working environment.
EU influence in UK business -
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EU factors had influenced UK market and still influencing main factors of industry. They
enact legislation and acts that protect employee and increase their importance in decision making
process. European unions manage friendly and healthy relationship with customer in enterprise.
They use bargaining and negotiation procedure which assist in practices such as laws and
regulation, expenditure and taxation, allotment and other activities.
4.2 Methods to gain employee participation in decision making procedure
Employee relation management is necessary to develop organization in market and meet
competitive advantage. These can be easily access through participation of employee in several
decision making process. Here are few techniques that can M & S can undertake:
1. Behavior Analysis -
Through evaluating behavior and attitudes of employee and their perception, believes,
values and expectation company can modify their existing terms and policies. This can help in
understanding effect of specific strategy or alternation in existing planning through analyzing
feedback of them.
2. Suggestion Strategy -
In suggestion technique, company offer employee to share their opinion and views over
some issues and plan which also will provide diversity of creative ideas and opinions. This can
also help in functioning management more effectively and increase productive activities building
creative environment.
3. Consultation -
In order to having issues and disputes and more stress in working environment,
companies as M & S can adopt consultation techniques in which worker can share their problem
and conflicts (Bach and Kessler, 2011). Company can find the reason of conflicts and provide
better solution through understanding main problem through this process.
4.3 Influence of human resource management on employee relations
In recent scenario, organisations manage human resource management within
organisation in order to maintain and control relationship between employer and employee. They
make this process easier through designing creative activities and dealing with worker of
company. HRM understand the value of company employee in order to gain profitability and
productivity and create a brand image within market. HR of Mark & Spencer identifies needs
and requirement of their worker and organise and design various activities which help in building
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friendly, comfortable and better working environment through accomplishing their demands and
expectation and balance office climate. HRM assist in resolving conflicts and grievances that
grow in workplace.
HRM determines policies and terms of agreement and use negotiation process in
determine wage and work profile with candidate while recruitment process (Anitha, 2014). HRM
handle personnel of a company and make sure that employee needs are being satisfied in
organisation. To manage those employee relation among company, HR assure that each worker
is getting equal opportunities to develop and for improvement of them they reward them by
awarding, promoting, incentive and through several techniques. HR organise cultural activities in
company on special occasion understanding circumstances of employee and their culture and
religion. Thus, HR build a bridge between company and employee, employer and worker and
create friendly workforce through team work activities.
CONCLUSION
This report analyse the importance and role of employee relation within an organisation
for better functioning and management of operation. European Unions began the concept of
industrial democracy in UK market and initiated for rights of employee. Thy work for employee
importance in company as well as protect and provide them rights and laws which is defending
their fundamental rights and prevent them from being exploited. Understanding significance in
market, companies now started keeping HRM within their organisation, which functions to
manage personnel and human resource and satisfy their requirement and expectation providing
them minimum wage and better selection activity and determine company policies. HR create a
stronger relationship between employee and employer and solve their conflicts and disputes.
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REFRENCES
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Online
Collective Bargaining . 2014. [Online]. Available
through:<https://www.slideshare.net/MandeepGill1/collective-bargaining-34060899>.
[Accessed on 23rd August 2017].
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